Tasmania has equal lowest rate of young people in detention in nation

Roger Jaensch,Minister for Education, Children and Youth

Tasmania has the equal lowest rate of young people in detention nationwide according to findings published in the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s Youth Justice in Australia Report 2020-21.

The Tasmanian Liberal Government welcomes the report, which also revealed between 2019-20 and 2020-21 the number of young people in detention on an average day fell by 40 per cent from 15.7 to 9.4.

Pleasingly, the report also shows the number of young people under all forms of youth justice supervision continues to fall, with only 115 young people under supervision on an average day in 2020-21.

Of those under supervision, 92 per cent were supervised within the community and only 8 per cent were in detention in 2020-21.

Fewer Tasmanian young people are engaging in serious crime warranting detention, which is a sentencing option of last resort under our Youth Justice laws.

This is positive for young people and for our community as a whole, and is in line with efforts under our Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy and associated reforms.

We know there is more work to do and in December 2021, our Government released our detailed Transition Plan and a Youth Justice Blueprint discussion paper for consultation that will inform our comprehensive reform of the Youth Justice System.

Our Government’s youth justice reforms include closing Ashley and establishing new facilities as part of reforming the Youth Justice System.

That is why this year’s Budget will include an allocation of $40 million to ensure work can commence as soon as design work is completed and suitable sites are confirmed.

We want to support children and families, engage at-risk young people early and direct them away from the youth justice system, and assist young people who do come into conflict with the law to give them the best chance to lead positive and successful lives.